I agree with Mr K. B Dessai who mentioned in his letter ‘Get your facts right’ published on 12 October that Marathi was taught in government schools called “shalla!” in few villages of Goa during the Portuguese era, and if I am not mistaken it was like kindergarten for small Hindu children to start in Marathi. For sure few Christian children also used to attend and I think they had upto IV standard in Marathi (I am not sure). But I do remember few Christian boys who attended Marathi schools telling me that Marathi “gonit” Maths or time x tables were taught from like 2 to somewhere even 40 times tables or so and those children always excelled in Maths when they attended Portuguese studies.
These Marathi schools were not linked to either Portuguese or English schools so there was no question of “MoI” in those days, but it was the prerogative of the parents to which schools they would prefer to send their children. Mind you, in both Portuguese and Marathi schools, the education was free and different religions and religious people co-existed and lived together peacefully but there was strict law and order in Goa. Now, for last 40 years, law and order is thrown to the wind, each one for themselves and God for all. Today’s politicians have no principles themselves. The law today is “Me and how much money I can accumulate when I am a politician”.
I vividly remember when I was 10 years old studying in Bicholim in a Church high school, in each class there were 40 children and two or five children in each class were Catholics and rest were Hindus and in those days the medium of education was English in all Goan schools irrespective of caste, creed or colour and students, parents, churches, temples and mosques co-existed.
So, why nowadays do we need FORCE and BBSM? Why are they making divisions among people? Let parents send their children to any schools as we all pay our taxes and let Government give grants to all schools. Money is neither from FORCE nor BBSM. Mind you when late Dayanand Bandodkar was the Chief Minister and MGP was ruling, never spoke about Konkani in Devanagiri script and every one lived happily and parents sent their children to the English medium schools as they were thinking ahead of times for their children’s future.
Needless to add all these guys who preach don’t practice. They will send their children and grandchildren to the best English schools not only in Goa but outside Goa and even in foreign countries and these preachings are only for the BPL parents who inspite of their poverty by hook or by crook, will see that their children attend the best English schools as they would like to instill good character in their children and to foresee a bright future for their children with the English language.
Last but not least, Konkani in Romi script exists in Goa and neighboring states from time immemorial. Men has forgotten God and his teachings of love and co-existence in all religions be it Hinduism, Christianity, Muslims etc., that is why educated people create so much hatred and divisions in the society everywhere and misguide the masses.
